1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a projection display device, controllable by a remote controller, which comprises a light source, an optical system for forming an optical image in accordance with image information as a result of optically processing light beams emitted from the light source, a projection lens for projecting the optical image in enlarged form, and a remote controller for controlling the projection display device.
2. Description of Related Art
A hitherto known projection display device, which can be controlled by a remote controller, includes a light source, an optical system for forming an optical image in accordance with image information as a result of optically processing light beams emitted from the light source, and a projection lens for projecting the optical image in enlarged form.
Such a projection display device is used in front of many people, for example, of academic societies, or at conferences or exhibitions. When, for example, a computer is connected to the projection display device in order to display the image on the computer in enlarged form, multimedia presentations can be performed. The presenter explains what is on the display screen by operating a remote controller. The remote controller includes various buttons, for example, that a laser pointer button used for specifying the location where the information or image to be explained is displayed on the display screen; a pointer operation button for operating a mouse pointer on the computer; and various adjuster buttons for adjusting the display screen according to the circumstances, such as a zoom adjuster button, a focus adjuster button, a power supply switch button, and an image adjuster button.
However, when a presenter explains what is on the display screen using such a remote controller, the presenter explains it primarily by looking at the display screen, so that he may inadvertently press an incorrect adjuster button. Therefore, it is desirable to restrict the functions that can be adjusted by the use of the remote controller to the minimum number required, so that even when a button is pressed an unnecessary function is not executed.
When there is more than one person making presentations for academic societies or at exhibitions, the zooming adjusting function and the focusing adjusting function are rarely adjusted again, once they are set. Therefore, it is desirable to restrict the zooming adjusting function and the focusing adjusting function so that incorrect operations of the zoom adjust button and the focus adjuster button do not occur.
Similarly with the remote controller, the above-described projection display device has a body side power supply switch button, for turning on/off the switches of the projection display device, and buttons for adjusting what is on the display screen, that is a body side zoom adjuster button, a body side focus adjuster button, a body side image adjuster button, and the like. When explaining what is on the display screen by using a remote controller, it may be better to restrict the body side adjusting functions in order to prevent an outsider from incorrectly operating the control.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a projection display device and a remote controller which are not affected even when an outsider incorrectly operates any one of the adjuster buttons on the remote controller or on the projection display device body.
To this end, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a projection display device controllable by a remote controller, the projection display device including a light source, an optical system for forming an optical image in accordance with image information as a result of optically processing light beams emitted from the light source, and a projection lens for projecting the optical image in enlarged form, the projection display device comprising a power supply switch restricting system for restricting a function of a power supply switch portion of the remote controller which causes a power supply to be turned on/off.
Here, a conventionally known type of circuit may be used for the power supply switch restricting system. The conventionally known type circuit does not receive a signal, which is provided from the remote controller in order to turn the power supply switch on or off, even when such a signal is input into the projection display device.
For example, the power supply switch restricting system can be formed by a circuit including a switching element which electrically connects or disconnects the light-receiving portion for receiving light from the remote controller with the power supply switching circuit of the projection display device. In another example, the power supply switch restricting system can be formed such that the type of light signal that the light-receiving portion receives from the remote controller can be selected at a signal processing circuit forming the light receiving portion.
According to this aspect, the power supply device is provided with a power supply switch restricting system which can restrict a function of the power supply switch portion on the remote controller. Therefore, when this function of the remote controller is controlled, the power supply of the projection display device will not be cut off, even when the presenter using the projection display device inadvertently operates the power supply switch portion on the remote controller incorrectly.
In this aspect, switching between the restricting states of the power supply switch restricting system may be performed by (a) using a setting screen displaying system, which is provided at the body of the projection display device, in order to show a setting screen used to set the projection display device, and performing selection of menu on the setting screen, or by (b) using a switch, which is provided at the body of the projection display device, and specifically designed for switching the restricting state of the power supply switch restricting system.
When switching between the restricting states is performed using a setting screen in the projection display device, the restricting state can be displayed on the screen, so that the setting of the restricting state of the remote controller can be confirmed by more than one person. In case that restricting is performed using a specifically designed switch, if the restricting state of the power supply switch restricting system is set at the projection display device body, the restricting state cannot be switched using the remote controller. Therefore, even when the remote controller is used by a large and an unspecified number of persons, such as while making a presentation for an academic society, confusion owing to the accidental changes of the restricting state will not arise.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a projection display device controllable by a remote controller, the projection display device including a light source, an optical system for forming an optical image in accordance with image information as a result of optically processing light beams emitted from the light source, and a projection lens for projecting the optical image in enlarged form, the projection display device comprising a zooming/focusing adjusting function restricting system for restricting a function of a zooming adjusting portion, for performing zooming adjustments on the projection lens, of the remote controller, and/or for restricting a function of a focusing adjusting portion, for performing focusing adjustments on the projection lens, of the remote controller.
According to this aspect, the zooming/focusing adjusting function restricting system allows the function of the zooming adjusting portion and/or the function of the focusing adjusting portion to be restricted, so that, as in the case where the power supply switch restricting system is used, when the zooming adjusting portion function and/or the focusing adjusting portion function is restricted, the screen display will remain correctly zoomed and focused, even when a person making a presentation inadvertently operates the remote controller incorrectly. In addition, since at least one of the zooming function and the focusing function can be restricted, the person making the presentation can set the appropriate restricting state as required, for example, restriction is required only for the zooming function, thereby allowing him to set the remote controller more freely.
In this aspect, switching between the restricting states of the zooming/focusing adjusting function restricting system can be performed by the aforementioned methods (a) and (b), and the same effects as mentioned above can be obtained. In addition, switching between the restricting states can be achieved by method (c) operating at the same time the body side zooming adjusting portion or the body side focusing adjusting portion, both of which are provided at the body of the projection display device, and another adjusting portion.
When the projection display device is constructed in this manner to allow switching between restricting states, it is not necessary to provide at the device body a separate switch, specifically designed for switching the state of restriction of the function of the zooming adjusting portion and the state of restriction of the function of the focusing adjusting portion of the remote controller, at the device body, thereby simplifying the structure of the device body. In addition, switching between the states of restriction can be performed by simply operating the body side zooming adjusting portion or the body side focusing adjusting portion and another adjusting portion, at the same time. Thus, it is not necessary to go through the steps of calling out a setting screen and then changing the setting, which are required in the case where switching is performed at a setting screen, thereby eliminating the need for changing a setting, so that switching between restriction states can be performed quickly. Further, when the instruction for switching the state of restriction of the zooming adjusting function and/or the focusing adjusting function is not displayed on the body of the projection display device, the state of restriction can be switched by the operation using such as hidden commands, so that even when the remote controller is used by a large and an unspecified number of users, the restricting state cannot be easily changed. Therefore, when the projection display device is used at, for example, an exhibition, and someone plays around with the remote controller, the information or image of the projection display device will remain properly zoomed and focused.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a projection display device controllable by a remote controller, the projection display device including a light source, an optical system for forming an optical image in accordance with image information as a result of optically processing light beams emitted from the light source, and a projection lens for projecting the optical image in enlarged form, the projection display device comprising an image adjusting function restricting system for restricting a function of an image adjusting portion, for adjusting the optical image, of the remote controller.
Here, the image adjusting portion causes the projected screen display to match the input image signal input to the projection display device. Adjustments are made, for example, on switching between the input systems that are, for example, inputting a composite signal from, for example, a video, and the input system for inputting a RGB signal from, for example, a computer. Adjustments are also made in the resolution, the refresh rate, the contrast, the tracking, or the like.
According to this aspect, the projection display device is provided with an image adjusting function restricting system for restricting the function of the image adjusting portion of the remote controller. Therefore, when only the RGB signal from a computer that is set at a predetermined resolution and refresh rate is input to the projection display device body, the function of the image adjusting portion can be restricted, thus making it possible to prevent the display screen from being disturbed as a result of inadvertent operation of the image adjusting portion. On the other hand, when a plurality of computers, which are set, for example, at different resolutions, are connected to the projection display device, and switching between computers is to be performed while making a presentation, adjustments for obtaining appropriate setting can be made using the remote controller in accordance with a computer, by making the function of the image adjusting portion effective.
The power supply restricting system, the zooming/focusing adjusting function restricting system, or the image adjusting function restricting system, each of which is provided at the projection display device, may be provided instead at the remote controller for controlling the projection display device body. In other words, according to the present invention, there is provided a remote controller for controlling the projection display device body comprising a light source, an optical system for forming an optical image in accordance with image information as a result of optically processing light beams emitted from the light source, and a projection lens for projecting the optical image in enlarged form. The remote controller may comprise at least one of the power supply switching restricting system, the zooming/focusing adjusting function restricting system, and the image adjusting function restricting system. In these restricting systems, any one of the switching methods described in the above (a) to (c) may be used.
In these restricting systems, it is possible to use conventionally known types of circuits which do not allow a signal to be output from the remote controller to the projection display device even when, for example, the power supply switch portion, an adjusting portion, or the like is turned on/off. For example, each restricting system may be formed by a light signal outputting circuit for outputting a light signal from the remote controller, and a circuit including a switching element used to electrically connect or disconnect, for example, the power supply switch portion with the adjusting portions.
When any one of the above-described restricting systems is provided at the remote controller, the same operations and effects as those obtained when these restricting systems are provided at the projection display device can be obtained. In addition, if the presenter knows the operation methods very well, he can switch the restriction states as required even while making the presentation.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote controller for controlling a body of a projection display device, the projection display device comprising a light source, an optical system for forming an optical image in accordance with image information as a result of optically processing light beams emitted from the light source, and a projection lens for projecting the optical image in enlarged form, the body of the projection display device comprising a body side power supply switch portion for turning on/off a power supply of the projection display device, a body side zooming adjusting portion for performing zooming adjustments on the projection lens, a body side focusing adjusting portion for performing focusing adjustments on the projection lens, a body side image adjusting portion for adjusting the optical image, and the remote controller comprises a body side adjusting function restricting system for restricting the adjusting function of at least one of the body side power supply switch portion, the body side zooming adjusting portion, the body side focusing adjusting portion, and the body side image adjusting portion.
The body side adjusting function restricting system may be constructed so that, by operating the remote controller, it can restrict all of the adjusting functions of the projection display device body that includes the body side power supply switch portion, the body side zooming adjusting portion, the body side focusing adjusting portion, and the body side image adjusting portion, or it may be constructed so that it may select and restrict a predetermined adjusting function among these adjusting functions.
In such a body side adjusting function restricting system, it is possible to utilize a conventionally known type of light signal outputting circuit, which outputs a light signal for switching a restriction state of a body side adjusting function of the remote controller. The projection display device body includes a conventionally known type of circuit including a switching element for switching over the above mentioned restriction state of a body side adjusting function in order to switch the switch by a light signal from the remote controller.
In this aspect, since the body side adjusting functions of the projection display device body can be restricted by the body side adjusting function restricting system, only if the body side adjusting function is restricted as desired, the display screen remains correctly zoomed and focused, even when an outsider incorrectly operates a body side adjusting portion while a person is making a presentation while adjusting the display screen using the remote controller.